A Little Home Schooling
by MissjudyK
Summary: This is a "what happens during" story for Right is the Fourth R. The episode takes a sad turn at the end, but this is a humorous look at Adam's first day teaching. He helped to raise his brothers,but wasn't prepared for the antics of these youngsters. His spirits are low as he tells his father about all that happened. Only Ben's wisdom can bring perspective to the unsettling day.
**A Little Home Schooling**

The early dusk of autumn was already settling in as Ben pushed through the door and hurriedly disposed of his gun, hat and jacket. "Adam?" he hollered in greeting when he didn't see his eldest son. Sport was in the barn when he'd settled Buck for the night, so he knew Adam was home, and he was anxious to hear about his first day teaching in Virginia City.

"Up here, Pa," drifted down the stairs.

Ben made his way to Adam's room, finding him with his chair tipped back and his feet resting on the corner of his weathered drafting desk.

"What're you doing?" Ben strode across the room and rested his hands on the black-shirted shoulders while peering over to see what Adam was looking at.

"Checking notebooks. I had the students do some arithmetic problems and writing exercises so I can figure out their skill levels in those two subjects."

"That's a good idea. How did it go today?"

Adam's right brow rose and his mouth twitched as a possible answer was readied, but he finally just sighed.

"Rough day?"

"More like puzzling."

"How so, son?"

"Well, aside from breaking up the two fights at recess, re-braiding Millie's hair when it fell apart and kept falling in her face so she couldn't see her slate, wiping runny noses and sending Jarvis Johnson home after he emptied his stomach onto his desk in one horrendous eruption…," he shuddered at the remembrance of cleaning up the mess, before adding, "there were the other things."

"Such as?" Adam had watched over his younger brothers constantly when they were growing up. They were active boys who were constantly getting into trouble of some sort, so Ben had to wonder why his son seemed drained.

Adam sighed again as he thought about releasing the information that was weighing on his mind. He wondered if his father could listen without making a joke of it, but he decided he needed to solicit another adult's point of view. "There's one girl, Emily, who got teary-eyed, and lowered her head if I so much as looked at her, Pa. I didn't do anything to make her afraid of me, yet she seemed terrified!" After a thought, he clarified. "Well, maybe there was one thing. But that couldn't be enough to affect her actions for the whole day."

Ben's voice was wary. "What one thing?"

Adam turned to face his father for the first time. Ben inhaled sharply as he saw a nasty red mark on his son's cheek. "She hit you?" *

"No one hit me," he growled." It was an accident. I was doing attendance; calling out names so I could attach a face to each one, and had called Emily Mills at least three times with no response. Emily is the daughter of Martin Mills—you know—the lawyer who's done some deed work for us." Adam saw his father nod. "Even though I know Emily from seeing her at her father's office, I wanted her to acknowledge her name just as the rest of the class was doing. But as I walked toward her desk, I realized that she was hunched forward, much as Jarvis had been just prior to being sick, and I feared she was ill as well. When I got to her, I leaned over to ask if she needed help." The bruise under Adam's eye glowed as a blush flooded his face. "I obviously startled her, but I got a glimpse of the hearts she was drawing with the initials, EM and AC—just before she covered the page with her hands and whipped her body upright while I was still leaning over her. The back of her head connected squarely with my face." He shook his head and blew out a long breath. "I swear it sounded like an axe hitting a piece of deadwood." Adam sighed again as he touched the tender area on his cheek. "Luckily it hurt me a whole lot more than her."

Ben suppressed a grin as he asked, "What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything, although I think I probably was stunned for a minute. I've been hit by Hoss and it didn't hurt that much. After that I quietly told her that she might wish to pay better attention."

Ben inspected the bruise more thoroughly and pronounced, "It's turning black and blue, son."

"Oh, good," Adam replied sardonically. "A continuous reminder of my ineptitude."

Ben's mouth took on a curl of appreciation for Adam's dilemma. "Things will get better, Adam." After a moment he added, "Do you remember Mary Shaw? She acted like that around you."

Adam's eyes grew large while his jaw dropped. "We were both eight years old, Pa, and as I recall she wanted me to marry her. That makes no sense. There's no way a fourteen-year-old girl is thinking that way about me now." Adam's face became stern as he shook his head from side to side.

"It happens all the time, son, and doesn't have to make sense. It's a matter of the heart, not of the brain. Haven't you ever noticed how Emily acts at her father's office? She always blushes and acts shy when you're around. And since Emily is not usually a shy child around people, I suspect she has a bit of hero worship affecting her; and you're the hero." Ben let that sink in for a moment. By now he was biting his inner lips to keep from laughing outright. "So the initials in her heart were EM and AC?" He suppressed a chuckle. "Hmm. I wonder what that might stand for?"

"I figure its Emily Mills and Aaron Campbell; although he's younger than she is, so it could be someone else."

Ben couldn't contain his laughter. "Or, Emily Mills and Adam Cartwright?"

A sideways glance through narrowed eyes and a tight-lipped hiss met the father's laughter. "There is no way that's possible."

"Oh, it's possible all right. Give her time, son. She'll get over it as she comes to know you as her teacher." Ben continued to smile as he moved from the subject of young love. "Anything else happen of interest?"

Adam responded by running his hands through his hair. "Pa, I don't think I'm good with kids."

"You've always been good around children. I can't imagine that you wouldn't get along just fine with these youngsters."

"I do fine when it's just me and one child, and it's not that I don't get along with this group of them, exactly…. It's more that…. I don't even know how to explain it."

"Just tell me what happened. I'm sure it's not as bad as you think it is."

He motioned for his father to sit on his bed, and then leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "I introduced myself today and told them why Miss Scott was out. Then I went through the assignments we'll cover while she's away and finally asked if there were any questions." Adam's face took on a pained expression while his voice rose by half an octave. "You wouldn't believe what they asked. I made the mistake of hanging my gun belt on the coat rack, so the first question was, 'Have you shot or killed anyone with your gun?' That just opened the floodgates for the rest of it: 'How big is your ranch?' 'Is it true that the Cartwrights shoot anyone who trespasses on the Ponderosa?' 'Did your family really kill a whole tribe of Indians to get your land?' 'Are the Cartwrights richer than the king of England like my pa says?' 'Is Little Joe the fastest draw in the territory like they heard?' 'Is Hoss really a giant?' And one young woman let me know that her mother says I'm still unmarried because I'm too brainy and fussy to find a normal girl." Another deep sigh escaped as a shiver washed over Adam's shoulders. "Pa it took nearly an hour to get back on track and by then it was time for recess!" Adam dropped his head to his hands while exhaling loudly: "I don't think I can do this."

Ben really wanted to ask how he had answered those questions, but decided against it, figuring his son had not found them as amusing as he had. His thoughts about how to respond were interrupted when Joe and Hoss entered the room. An idea struck the father as he watched the two younger brothers jabbering on about their day and waited while the wind settled out of their sails before asking them to quiet down so he could speak to all of them.

"As long as you three are together, I'd like to talk about the work that needs to get done before winter. Adam will be busy for two weeks yet, but after that we'll need to move quickly. We have stock to bring down from the ridge, there's still fence work undone, and we need to bring in the last loads of hay." A pause. "Any questions?"

Hoss immediately asked, "Can we eat soon? Hop Sing says supper's ready and I'm starving."

As Hoss finished, Little Joe asked about Adam's day and without waiting for an answer, posed a question about the family's intentions for attending the harvest party the coming weekend, and finally asked if they'd heard the latest about old Jeb's young wife running off with one of his trail hands.

Ben wore a knowing smile as he looked toward Adam. "Might you boys have any questions about the chores we need to finish?"

"Well, sure, Pa." Little Joe's voice was incredulous. "Why didn't you just ask us that?" He quickly noted his thoughts about which of them would accomplish each task; speculated on how many men they'd each need, and considered the amount of time each would entail.

Hoss offered some suggestions about manpower and asked about a few other chores his father hadn't mentioned.

After the brothers chose their tasks, and set up a workable timetable, Ben said, "Why don't you two get cleaned up and let Hop Sing know Adam and I will be along in a minute. We just need to finish the conversation we were having when you came in."

When the room cleared, Adam gave his father a wry smile. "You are a sly dog, Pa. I guess I can always learn something from you."

"I'm glad to hear that. You know that I'd have told just _you_ about the work needing to be done, and then asked if you had any questions, you would have immediately barraged me with all the appropriate things your brothers came up with after a little prodding. You have a very organized way of approaching any task, and are not easily swayed away from that subject. But as you know from experience, your brothers need more direction. It's due to the different ways each of your minds work through a problem. Chances are, your classroom has more kids in it like Hoss and Joe, than like you."

"Thanks, Pa; I get it. If I want good answers, I should ask the better questions."

Ben stood and gave Adam's shoulder a light squeeze. "Let's go eat before Hoss forgets there're four for dinner and eats enough for three." Ben chuckled. "See, now there's an arithmetic problem for you to use tomorrow." He watched as his eldest gathered his papers into an organized system to await his return. "Adam, you'll be a fine teacher."

"I'm not so sure, pa. But I've got a few lessons under my belt for tomorrow."

"Such as?"

"Ask good questions, and never lean directly over a child who has their head down."

Both men laughed, but the wry tone in Adam's voice left Ben still sensing that his son was feeling less than sure of his talents. "Adam, you may think that you don't relate well to children, but most of your life has been spent teaching two younger brothers what I didn't have time to do. I knew that you'd do it right, and my trust was sound. You are a natural teacher who made them learn by doing. When you go back tomorrow, just remember how good it made you feel when those two finally understood what you were showing them, and they were able to figure things out on their own. I think the true point in teaching is taking joy in watching others use what they've learned from you."

"Thanks again, Pa." Adam upper lip twitched as he thought back to some information he was given by one student who stayed after class. "You know, pa, I did pick up one very useful piece of information today."

"Besides how to avoid a black eye and keeping your gun in your desk?"

"Remember I told you that Jarvis Johnson threw up?" Adam noted that Ben wore a sick expression but encouraged him to continue. "Well, his brother stayed after to tell me that Jarvis makes himself do that whenever he wants, and uses his 'talent' to get out of anything he doesn't want to do. He's tired of Jarvis getting away with it and figured that a 'guy teacher' ought to be able to do something about it."

"That's good information. So just what does the 'guy teacher' mean to do about it?"

"First off, I've already moved his things to the desk directly in front of mine. I assume he has to do something to gag himself, and now I can keep an eye on him. Secondly, I'll be letting him know that should it happen again, he'll clean it up himself, just before he takes his place right next to me at the front of the room. That way he can demonstrate how to solve every arithmetic problem for the class without having to walk too far to the board."

Hoss and Little Joe heard laughter as they waited at the table for the missing family members to join them. "Hey," Hoss hollered out to the duo standing at the top of the stairs. "Some of us Cartwrights have worked hard all day and need to eat before the food gets cold or I die from starvation."

"I think we've covered everything we needed to." Adam turned toward his father with a sly smile as they took the first step.

"Probably so, but do you have any questions?"

Hoss and Joe sat staring at each other as Ben and Adam laughed conspiratorially while heading down the staircase. Hoss directed a quiet comment across the table, "Joe, does it seem those two speak a language all their own sometimes? And we ain't got any idea what they're talking about?"

"You got that right, Hoss." Joe just shook his head as he looked at the two who were nearing the table. Narrowing his eyes menacingly, he added, "Worst part is, I know they're talkin' about us, but I can't prove it."

Ben assumed his position at the head of the table, directing his comment to the two younger sons. "Well, I don't know what you two are waiting for, let's eat."

After a simple thanks to God for the day, and their gathering once again as a family, they began to fill their plates from the bowls they were passing. While Adam had artfully kept his face in the shadows when his brothers had been in his room earlier, there was no way to hide it now. Little Joe whistled as he got a good look at Adam while handing him the plate of bread. "Hey, older brother, that's some shiner. Don't tell me you let some ten year old deck you?"

Joe's giggling was met with a stern stare, and Adam's caustic, "Joe, you want to stop right there. It's been a long day and my patience is thin as a cat's whisker."

The giggling continued into braying, as Joe tried to get Adam to tell them how it happened. "C'mon, Adam, you gotta tell us how you got smacked in a room full of kids! Or did you get fresh with one of the mothers when they came to pick up little Johnny from school?"

It only took a simple, "That'll be enough, Joseph," from the head of the table to quiet the laughing and restore order.

Since Hoss had initiated the passing of the food, his plate was the first filled, and he was soon poised to dig in. "What was so funny with you and Adam, Pa? Sounded like it was something particularly entertainin'."

Ben looked over at Adam and replied, "Just teaching the teacher, Hoss."

Little Joe moaned pitifully.** "Not again! I had enough of that when Miss Scott was here yesterday, and I can't handle any more of it. Let's just eat and not say a word about teachers, teaching, pupils or anything even close to those words."

"Sounds fine to me." Adam grinned at his younger brother and asked for the potatoes. "I better takes some of those before Hoss goes in for seconds."

Hoss sent Adam a reproachful glare and then softened to a chuckle. "Yer jest lucky there's anything left here after making me wait so long. I was contemplatin' eatin' it all to teach you what happens when you inconvenience a hungry man."

Joe laid his fork down as he leaned across the table toward Hoss. "There's that word again. I thought we agreed we weren't going to use _that_ word."

"Sorry Joe. It jest slipped out." Hoss raised his fork and knife in submission, promising, "It won't happen again."

Looking pleased, Joe blurted out, "Well just see that it doesn't, or I'll have to teach you a lesson the hard way."

The others looked up in unison and then toward Joe, who realizing what he'd said, began to laugh. "Well, I guess that'll teach me to keep my mouth shut."

Ben added, "Well as long as it teaches you something, then it was worth it."

Hoss pointed toward Joe with his laden fork. "Hey, when it comes to Joe, the only way he can learn some lessons is when he teaches himself."

Adam adopted a serious pose with a hand on his chin, and winked toward Hoss, as he added, "So then, as regards our youngest brother; if we assume that Joe can best learn from himself, then he must teach himself to be taught…and therefore teaches the teacher to teach the pupil—who is actually the teacher."

"Huh?" Hoss choked out while trying to swallow a piece of ham.

Ben nodded. "I think that's correct, son."

Joe was laughing so loud he could barely holler, "Enough! I get it, and I give up. All I'm gonna say is pass the beans."

"Is that how you ask for something, Joseph?" Ben asked with a twinkle in his eye. "I thought I taught you better than that."

Another groan from Joe was met by snickering from the brothers. "Go ahead and laugh you two, but remember, I can run and punch faster than either of you when I'm riled up good."

"All right boys. We'd best settle down before this turns into a real fight…" Ben looked towards Adam with a devilish grin, "…and your older brother ends up with a second black eye to match the first one."

The familial stings and jabs continued through the meal with talk finally turning to the work of the ranch. Adam laid his napkin on the table and declared that he was off to correct papers, and would see them in the morning. He paused on the way up the stairs, watching as his brothers continued talking with their father about the chores for the coming week. He realized that his father had been right; the best part of teaching was not personal credit, but the wonder of seeing others use what they've learned. His brothers had their personal strengths and weaknesses like everyone, but he'd helped them along the road to becoming good, productive men, and he found great satisfaction in that. His confidence had grown in this last hour too and he mused that perhaps the teaching could go better than he expected.

Something his father had said earlier had floated through his mind during dinner and he was trying to picture what he could do to bring his students into the process of learning. He had told his brothers how to do things when he was teaching them how to do things, but it wasn't until they tried something on their own that they understood the process. He knew he had to teach math and grammar from the lesson plan, but he was thinking that he might get the kids interested in a history project that would teach them about how their surroundings came to be. It would be a living history for them and allow them to glean facts from people they knew.

He was smiling and encouraged when he sat back at his desk and cracked open the next notebook from the pile. He flipped through, trying to find the last entry and saw the ragged edge of a page that had been torn away. It was Emily's book and he realized she must have removed the incriminating page with the hearts. Written neatly at the top of the next page was a note. "Dear Mr. Cartwright, I am sorry for hurting you today. Please accept my apology. You are a very nice man and I think you'll be a wonderful teacher. Sincerely, Emily."

Adam finished the last of his work, and then walked to his washstand, holding up a lamp to inspect the bruise in the mirror. To his relief, it was fading to pink instead of turning the hues his father had predicted. _Yes, indeed,_ he thought, _it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks._

 _The end_

 _*_ Adam didn't have a noticeable bruise until later in the show after being beaten up, but if you watch his face, (as I always, always, do) many times you will notice that if he's warm or the shadows catch right, there's area on his upper cheekbone, extending to the side of his face, that seems darker; almost like a bruise. He has a similar swatch on both sides, but more noticeable on the right. And yes, I spend too much time observing Adam's face. But anyway, that's what I'm using as my reference. I noticed it as he spoke to Barbara about initiating the history course, so it works for my story.

** In case it's been awhile since you've watched _Right if the 4th R_ , you might not remember that it began with Adam teaching Miss Scott to ride and there was a conversation about teaching the teacher that left Joe dazed. This is the basis for the dinner talk that drove him crazy in this story. The character from the episode that I call Emily is one of the older girls in Adam's class. She has blond braids, is wearing a green dress, and sits in the center of the classroom, 3 seats from the front. And Emily will return as a 50 year-old woman in a story that I've written about Adam's later life.


End file.
